By Mike Rosenberg mrosenberg@mercurynews.com Posted: 08/18/2014
SANTA CLARA — The death of a 49ers fan at Levi’s Stadium and the huge crowds who abandoned the sunny seats for shady concourses are shining a bright light on an issue that many Niner faithful were unprepared for Sunday: the heat.

It’s no secret Santa Clara is hotter than San Francisco, but the 49ers have also traded in the bayside fog and breezes that often cooled down Candlestick Park for the beaming Santa Clara Valley sun that glistens off the new stadium’s gleaming glass suite tower. Many of the 68,000 seasoned fans who attended the first 49ers game in Santa Clara, a preseason contest on Sunday afternoon, wound up with over-heated cellphones, sweat-drenched jerseys and an uncomfortable souvenir.

“I came home super sun burnt,” said Gabe Hernandez, a 30-year-old fan from Roseville. “Me and my friend only lasted one quarter until she tapped out to get out of the beaming sun. I miss the ‘Stick.”

Joanne McPhee, a season ticket holder for two decades, is used to hot conditions — she lives in Morgan Hill. But she said “the sun was unbearable” on Sunday. Another fan, Bill Moore, Sr., called the experience of baking in the sun “miserable.”

The stands were half-empty by halftime and almost completely vacant by the end of the game, while fans in red-and-gold jerseys packed the covered concourses and air-conditioned clubs and stood in long lines for ice cream.

Though the temperature was just above 80 degrees in Santa Clara, it felt several degrees hotter in the crowded stands Sunday. Fire Department and team officials said the heat accounted for most of the 60 emergency calls at the stadium, an unusually high number for a 49ers game, and two people were taken to the emergency room.

“Many people just needed to get out of the sun,” said fire Chief Bill Kelly. “For many of them, there was a general feeling of weakness, and (they) just needed to rest and get some water.”

The most serious call came in the third quarter, when an older man in section 221 collapsed and suffered a cardiac emergency, which is usually caused by a heart attack. Santa Clara firefighters performed CPR for at least 10 minutes and took him out on a stretcher, but he was pronounced dead at a San Jose hospital.

It’s unclear if the heat contributed to his death, as the authorities declined to speculate. Dr. Cesar Molina, a cardiologist at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View and a former board member for the local American Heart Association, said it was possible, but hard to tell without knowing the man’s full medical history.

The fan was sitting in the sun-baked part of the stadium behind the visitors’ sideline and occupying a seat someone had already vacated, said Craig Love, who was sitting in front of the man.

“It was really, really hot right there, and he was just pouring sweat,” said Love, of Corte Madera, who’s been going to games since the Kezar Stadium days. “I never remember it that hot at Candlestick.”

Love, who took a cellphone video of the incident, said he saw the fan who died talking with a man in front of him for a while. Then Love turned around and saw him passed out on a neighboring seat, covered in his own vomit. Love assumed he was drunk and turned back around. The other man sitting next to Love tried shaking the passed-out fan awake, and a woman who also seemed to be in the fan’s party came by and slapped him hard on the knee and shouted at him.

Within two minutes, stadium officials were notified. They quickly laid the man out on the concrete floor and pounded his chest for a while, to no avail, as dozens of onlookers gathered around and the game continued in the background. The man, who has not been identified, turned over and made a brief sound before paramedics arrived but was otherwise unconscious, Love said.

The 49ers, who huddled on Monday to asses the operations from the $1.3 billion Santa Clara stadium’s NFL opening, are reviewing whether to make changes to help heat-stricken fans but have not nailed down any specifics yet.

The next 49ers home game is a preseason tilt at 1 p.m. Sunday. The regular-season opener, on Sept. 14, should be cooler and starts at 5:30 p.m. There are only two other afternoon events scheduled at the stadium, both 49ers home games, before November.

The team, acknowledging this issue, is mostly pushing for better education of fans, advising them to treat a trip to Levi’s Stadium like a voyage to the beach: bring sun block and a hat, stay hydrated, monitor your alcohol content and go for a break in the shady concourses if you feel overwhelmed by the sun.

“We want to continue to work with our fans to educate them with not just the stadium, but everything that goes into enjoying the game there. The weather is obviously a part of that,” team spokesman Bob Lange said.

The stadium has three first-aid stands, and the team asks fans to text “SUPPORT” and a short message to 69050 to alert officials to medical problems.

Kelly said his crews, which include 40 first-aid personnel and 14 firefighters, will also try to get better acclimated to the kinds of issues that will crop up on game days.

“We’ll be watching for patterns,” Kelly said.

Staff writer Robert Salonga contributed to this report. Contact Mike Rosenberg at 408-920-5705. Follow him at Twitter.com/RosenbergMerc.

(I give no credibility to any remarks made by Mr. Wertheimer below as they are not backed by any scientific study that could be published in a peer review journal)

Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY 8:06 p.m. EDT August 5, 2014

The good times have gone bad quickly at a number of music shows this summer.

A man had his fingertip bitten off at Beyoncé and Jay Z’s On the Run tour stop in Pasadena, Calif., last Saturday when he accused another concertgoer of groping his girlfriend, becoming the latest victim in a growing list of bizarre and tragic incidents to occur at live music events this summer.

An 18-year-old man was charged with raping a 17-year-old girl in the middle of a crowded lawn at Keith Urban’s July 26 outdoor concert in Mansfield, Mass., while fellow country star Tim McGraw caught flak a week earlier for slapping a fan after she grabbed and ripped his jeans during an Atlanta show.

Last weekend, two people died at Mad Decent Block Party, an EDM event, in Columbia, Md., joining 15 other fatalities at music festivals so far this year — up from seven drug-related fest deaths in 2013, according to Billboard.

Is it coincidence, or is a lack of security and safety regulations to blame?

“We’re talking about summertime, peak concert season, millions of people going to shows — safety is always a paramount concern, but you can’t completely, 100% contain stupid behavior,” says Ray Waddell, Billboard senior editor of touring. “The reason it gets so much media attention when it happens is mostly because it’s so rare. Just like if there’s an accident in a theme park, everybody covers it because it’s rare.”

And despite a promoter’s best efforts to control what goes on inside a venue — whether that means upping security staff, employing drug-sniffing dogs or capping alcohol purchases — it’s impossible to prevent all dangerous behavior, although it can be minimized, says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, which covers the concert industry.

“How is a promoter supposed to stop a drug overdose at an EDM event? Even strip and full-body cavity searches couldn’t stop someone from ingesting drugs just before they come in,” Bongiovanni says. “The negligence would be if the promoter didn’t provide adequate emergency medical on site.”

But promoters and city officials may bear some of the blame for seeking to maximize profits, says Paul Wertheimer, founder of Crowd Management Services, a safety consulting service specializing in live music.

“There’s so much money involved (with these big live events), and cities and communities are so desperate for money,” Wertheimer says. “Promoters know that, artists know that, and they’re cutting corners more than they ever did before,” with minimal security staffing and unlimited alcohol sales.

Electric Daisy Carnival, the Las Vegas EDM mega-fest, brought more than $278 million into Clark County’s economy in 2013, reports the Las Vegas Sun, while Forbes estimated that the three-day Ultra fest may have pumped as much as $200 million into the Miami economy in March.

“It’s becoming acceptable that people are injured or die at these events, it’s not an outrage,” says Wertheimer. “Unless it turns into something substantial, it’s business as usual.”

WACO, Texas – As Baylor University transitions from 64-year-old Floyd Casey Stadium to the state-of-the-art 45,140-seat McLane Stadium on the Brazos River in 2014, there are several new policies and procedures being implemented.

“Baylor Nation will be thrilled with the spectacular McLane Stadium and one of the most dynamic game day environments in college football,” said Baylor Vice President and Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. “There has been a considerable amount of work put into developing stadium policies and procedures that will provide a safe environment and an enjoyable experience for our fans, student-athletes and officials.

“While we realize that some of these policies are different from how we were able to operate at Floyd Casey Stadium, the changes were made with spectator safety at the forefront of our decisions,” he added.

Baylor’s gameday policies have been developed over the last year by a committee representing a cross-section of units working on McLane Stadium operations with a focus on providing a safe environment and enjoyable fan experience. With McLane Stadium being nearly double in square footage size to that of the Bears previous home, it is not possible to operate football games in the same manner as previous years, according to McCaw.

In the coming weeks, Baylor University will be communicating important information about Baylor gameday resources, programs and opportunities as McLane Stadium opens. Because the exciting return of football to campus requires a variety of new practices and procedures affecting the campus, Baylor encourages everyone to give special attention to the communications in advance of the Aug. 31 opening. On Aug. 4, Baylor Athletics will go live with a new Baylor Gameday fan page at www.baylorbears.com/gameday. This resource will provide Baylor fans with all pertinent gameday information, including parking, tailgating, stadium policies and everything fans need to know about McLane Stadium. Baylor students also will have a student-specific gameday website at www.baylor.edu/students/gameday that will debut on Aug. 4 with information specific to their gameday experience.

While fans are encouraged to familiarize themselves with McLane Stadium policies and procedures located at www.baylorbears.com/gameday, the Athletics Department would like to call special attention to several key policies, some of which have been carried over from Floyd Casey Stadium, as well as some which are new, including those specifically dealing with:

ARTIFICIAL NOISEMAKERS
Policy: Big 12 Conference rules do not permit artificial noisemakers to be brought into or used in McLane Stadium.

Reason: The Big 12 implemented this rule in order to prevent the distraction of the participants and officials in the game.

ANIMALS
Policy: Service animals are welcome in McLane Stadium. All other animals will not be allowed to enter.

Reason: A service animal is trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability.

Reason: National and local security officials have designated backpacks and large bags as security risks. Unattended bags create a security threat. Bags may not be left at the gates and will be confiscated, removed and discarded immediately.

BANNERS & POLES
Policy: Banners may not be hung and poles may not be brought into McLane Stadium unless approved by Baylor Athletics.

Reason: Banners or poles in McLane Stadium can be a nuisance to other fans by obstructing their view of the game, and can create safety concerns for those in the area.

Reason: Large lens cameras, tripods and monopods interfere with the game and others’ enjoyment of the game.

CHAIRBACK SEATS (PORTABLE):
Policy: Portable chairbacks and seat cushions will not be allowed in McLane Stadium, however, fans may rent chairs from IMG College Seating for the season at www.bubearchairs.com or on gameday at locations throughout the stadium.

Reason: Wide chairback seats overlap into the seat of the fan next to you & many encroach into the legroom of the fan behind you. The guest relations staff at Floyd Casey Stadium frequently was contacted with this complaint. The chairbacks and cushions available from IMG College Seating are customized for the benches at McLane Stadium.

FIELD ACCESS: Policy: Access to the field shall be limited to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed individuals at all times.

Reason: For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted onto the field.

RE-ENTRY INTO MCLANE STADIUM:
Policy: McLane Stadium will have a no re-entry policy effective with the 2014 football season. While exceptions will be made for medical emergency situations, this move brings Baylor into line with 46 other FBS schools, including several Big 12 schools, all 32 NFL teams, other SMG-operated facilities and several area high schools.

Reason: Safety. To ensure a safe and more secure environment for everyone at McLane Stadium, re-entry will not be allowed once you have left the stadium. Keeping our fans, coaches, student-athletes and officials safe and secure on gameday is of the highest priority.

SMOKING & TOBACCO
Policy: Smoking (both traditional & non-traditional) and any form of tobacco will not be permitted at McLane Stadium.

Reason: Baylor University is a tobacco-free, smoke-free campus. For more information, please visit: http://www.baylor.edu/tobaccofree

UMBRELLAS
Policy: Umbrellas are not allowed in McLane Stadium. Umbrellas left at the gate/entrance will be confiscated and discarded during security sweeps.

Reason: Umbrellas are a sight obstruction for other fans, and can be a safety hazard. Fans should bring appropriate rain gear in case of inclement weather

Reason: This policy is for the convenience and safety of all ticket holders. Even the smallest of Baylor fans sitting on their parents’ lap can be an inconvenience to the fan sitting in the next seat and a safety risk for the child.

Reason: Baylor Athletics is obligated to protect the television and digital rights granted by the Big 12 Conference to television networks and other media. By prohibiting video cameras except for use by credentialed working media, Baylor Athletics can best manage that obligation.

Guest-Services-Rating
Providing first-rate guest services is paramount. We know it’s one of the top goals on your list. We also know it is the top goal on your boss’s list.

The fan experience is essential to everyone’s livelihood. You certainly can’t guarantee a win, perfect weather, or prevent car trouble on the way. But you can and must deliver the highest level of guest services.

Face it. You’re in the business of creating memories as much as your star players. Preparing for and delivering to your fans a safe, clean and friendly environment is fundamental to the fan experience and that’s the stuff that leaves fans wanting to return to your stadium for more events.

With your well-trained and dedicated team members you can ‘make things happen’ at every point of contact with your fans. For every location, every person on your team can affect a fan’s experience, positively or negatively.

Every impression, every interaction, they all count.
Employ These 5 Guest Services Expectations in Every Way

First have high expectations and empower your team to deliver the best GUEST services experience, for every point of contact on game day.

Now wow your crowd! We have designated 8 essential touch points for game day guest services so you can immediately put a Guest Services WOW plan in place – the ways to wow. And we’re giving you the how.

A little something you can use AND put into action. How’s that for purpose and peace of mind?
1. Arrival/Parking Lots

Communicate to your fans through your radio partners (e.g. local radio stations): deliver traffic routes and patterns allowing for a more enjoyable commute. Give fans parking lot updates (e.g. when lots are full or whether lot closures take place). We recommend notifying fans when lots are about two-thirds full.
Use signage in the parking lot to display your text communication information so that your guests can use it when they need to. Not using a text communication solution? Check out our blog on the intangible value of text communication at your venue.
Have your season ticket holders opt-in to receive game day notifications and send group notifications thru a text communication solution to these subscribers to communicate weather updates, traffic patterns and parking lot information.
Deploy alcohol management teams to identify and mitigate potential hazards as a result of intoxicated persons. This also provides assurance to fans that guest services is under control, and is dedicated to their experience and safety. 30 minutes prior to game start, move your alcohol management and rapid response teams to entry gates. This will allow them to monitor and identify intoxicated persons and mitigate any incidents before they occur.

2. Stadium Access

Run the math and use your analytics to employ appropriate staffing in order to cut line times to approximately 2:30 minutes.

Bonus with Shorter Lines – Not only does increased flow of lines enhance the guest experience but it also mitigates the risk for an active shooter incident. With active shooter incidents on the rise by 20%, it’s important to alleviate the possibility of scenarios where large crowds are bottlenecked. Increasing flow of traffic greatly reduces the opportunity for active shooters to take advantage of large, crowded settings.
3. Guest Movement

Role-play with your staff using the GUEST acronym we provide above and put it into place in order to prevent any guest services nightmares.
Empower staff to acknowledge all fans they make eye contact with. This lets the guest know your team is there for them. It gives them the peace of mind you’re in control and ready to provide them with a safe and secure environment for that memorable experience they came to your stadium for.
By doing all of this, you’re demonstrating the fact you hire and train staff that wants to help fans and are there when they need them.

4. Concourses

Mount signage displaying fan code of conduct and text communication information throughout your concourses and every concession point. This makes the fan code of conduct clear to fans – it makes it real.
No one likes it when they lose something and the time it can take to report a lost item can feel like salt in a wound. Implement a lost and found solution letting your guests report their lost items directly at your guest services locations. This is an inexpensive way to enhance guest experience and build guest loyalty.
Signage displayed in the concourses also act as a deterrent for intoxicated persons. If they’re not in the right state of mind, clear signage might help put them back in line.
Use your analytics to understand point of sale metrics to best determine your staffing needs against the fan base for specific areas in the stadium.

Take note – Fan demographics change according to the size and type of event. That being said, so will your staffing needs!
5. Bowl Entry

All ushers need to be at their post and ready to WOW your fans. It’s game time!
It’s important to have all ushers trained on hotspots and protocols.
Train staff on how to effectively communicate incidents occurring to the command post.
Always mount signage that displays your fan code of conduct and text communication information – make it prominent upon entry into the stadium bowl.

6. The Bowl

Communicate to your fans on a large scale! Deliver light-hearted public service announcements (PSA) at specific times during the game explaining your fan code of conduct and ways to communicate with staff in the event of an incident.

Here’s an example: During a football game, an effective time would be during the first timeout of the first quarter and right before the second half begins. This will ensure the largest audience for the announcements.

Prominently display visible static signage throughout the bowl inclusive of fan code of conduct and text communication information. That way, when you’re not on the loud speaker everyone knows you’re still in control and focused on their safety at all times.
Being able to exceed fan expectations is a key ingredient to a successful game day. Implement a guest request tracker to increase staff efficiency and enhance performance. Never overlook a wheelchair request again.

7. Stadium Exit

Re-deploy your rapid response team to the parking lot anywhere from 10 minutes before the end of game to the end of game, depending on activity in the bowl.
Re-deploy your police force to the parking lot complete with patrol cars and lights flashing. Along with officers on foot. This is a useful deterrent for potential hazards. And it provides assurance to your fans they will experience a safe and smooth exit from the stadium property.
Oh and by the way, let your fans report lost items to the lost and found manager through your website if they missed guest services in the concourses.

8. Parking Exodus

The party’s over, but that doesn’t mean guest services stops! Your ushers should be waving good-bye and thanking your guests for attending the event.
Use variable message (VM) boards with thank you messages to supplement your staff’s sendoff.
Depending on the location of your stadium, re-route traffic patterns for easy exit too. It’s one more shot to WOW your guests on game day.